George M. “Max” Ridler, age 91, of Hays passed away Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at Via Christi Village, Hays. He was born February 15, 1924 in Coffeyville, KS to Arthur Arnold and Gladys (Walton) Ridler. He graduated from Labette County High School in 1941. He married Frances Herrman June 28, 1944 in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Max was a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer with over 20 years of service. During his service to our country he received numerous medals including the Navy and Marine Corp Commendation Medal which is our Nation’s highest non-combat award given. He received this award for helping to rescue a fighter pilot from his plane. He also worked at the Hays Post Office after his retirement from the Navy and he worked there until 1974. He was a member of the Hays American Legion, The Hays VFW where he served as commander. He was also a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

He is survived by his wife, Frances of Hays; three sons, Robert and wife Melody of Mannsville, NY, James and wife Donna of Buffalo, MN and Randy and wife Pam of Castle Rock, CO; five grandchildren, Marcella Keiwitt, Christopher Ridler, Michael Ridler, Ryan Ridler and Lance Ridler as well as 6 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a daughter, Gladys Carey.

Funeral services will be 11AM Monday, September 21, 2015 at the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery in WaKeeney.

Visitation will be Sunday 6 PM – 8 PM and Monday 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

A combined parish vigil and rosary service will be at 7 PM Sunday at the funeral chapel.

Condolences may be sent by guest book to www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to [email protected].

William R. “Bill” Calvert, 61, Salina, died Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at the Salina Regional Health Center.

He was born June 2, 1954 in Hays the son of Cecil Calvert, Jr. and Betty E. (Deutscher) Calvert. After High School he attended Fort Hays State University and then the University of Kansas, receiving his BA in Journalism in 1976. 

In 1986, he received his BBA degree  in Business and Finance from Fort Hays State University. He was a reporter for the Garden City Telegram, worked for Deutscher Farms in Ellis and Turney Roofing in Hays, was newsletter editor and president of Ellis County Environmental Awareness, Inc., was the literature production supervisor for Agri-Nomic Supply Company and was a writer for Kansas Farmer Magazine. 

He was also a student reporter on the University Daily Kansas and an intern reporter for the Ellis County Star in Hays.  He was active in the Boy Scouts of America, was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Hays, and enjoyed hunting, camping, canoeing, and photography. He loved to write and was a voracious reader.

Survivors include his mother, Betty E. Calvert of Hays, a sister Kathryn Calvert of Wichita, and six cousins; Chris, Craig, and Kim Gibson and Mike Mason, Barbara Krause, and Chuck Giese.

He was preceded in death by his father, Cecil Calvert, Jr. in 1968.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Monday, September 21, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church, 305 W. 7th, Hays.  Burial will follow in the Mt. Allen Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time on Monday at the church. 

Memorials are suggested to the First United Methodist Church, or to the American Diabetes Association, 608 West Douglas Avenue/Suite 100/Wichita, KS, 67203, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, KS, 67601. 

Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

 

Phillipsburg resident, Juanita Lare, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, at the Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg, Kan., at the age of 89.

She was born July 17, 1926, in Phillips County, Kan., the daughter of Charles A. and Sara (Surby) Green. Her husband, Mervin, preceded her in death on Nov. 5, 2005.

She is survived by her son, Brad, of Phillipsburg; daughters, Tanya Lare of Wichita, Kan., Debra Carr of Lafayette, Ind., and Denise Bach of Odenton, Maryland; two brothers, Dale Green of California and Charles Green of Texas; 7 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday, Sept. 21, at 10:30 a.m. in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Lew Van Der Wege officiating. Burial will follow in the Kirwin Cemetery, Kirwin, Kan.

Mrs. Lare will lie in-state on Sat. and Sun. from noon until 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends Sunday evening from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be given to the United Methodist Church.

Online condolences to: www.olliffboeve.com. Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.

George M. “Max” Ridler, 91, Hays, died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, at Via Christi Village, Hays.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21,  in Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery, WaKeeney.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, both at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.

A combined rosary and vigil will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral chapel.

A complete obituary will follow.

Phillipsburg resident, Raymond R. Calhoon, passed away Sept. 13, 2015, at the Kensington Health and Rehab in Kensington, Kan., at the age of 92.

He was born Sept. 8, 1923, in Phillips County, Kan., the son of Lee and Edna (Ross) Calhoon.

He was preceded in death by his wife Ruby, son James and  daughter Linda.

Survivors include his sons, Kenneth of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Gary of Glade, Kan.; 3 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept. 18, at 2:00 p.m. in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Dave Pugh officiating. Burial will follow in the Marvin Cemetery, Glade.

Visitation will be from 9:00 to 9:00 Wednesday and Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Phillips County EMS.

Online condolences: www.olliffboeve.com.

Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Myrtle Maxine Briand
Born: June 11, 1926
Died: September 15, 2015

Myrtle Maxine Briand, age 89, passed away on Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at Cedar Village, Ness City, Kansas. She was born on June 11, 1926 in Lincoln County, Kansas the daughter of Elmer and Martha (Tatkenhorst) Rosebrook.

She was a homemaker, a member of the First Mennonite Church and the VFW Auxiliary both of Ransom, Kansas.

On August 1, 1948 she married Sol Briand in Lincoln, Kansas. He preceded her in death on May 15, 2007.

She is survived by three sons, Gerald and Betty Briand, Ransom, Larry and Lisa Briand, WaKeeney, Kansas, and Wendell and Millie Briand, Olathe, Kansas; two daughters, Marge Tillitson, Ransom, and Joan Grover, Salina, Kansas; one brother, Douglas Rosebrook, Tescott, Kansas; 17 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and five brothers, Oscar, Paul, Lawrence, Roy, and Clarence Rosebrook.

Viewing will be on Thursday, September 17 from 9:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. with the family present from 7-9 P.M.

Funeral services will be at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City, on Friday, September 18, 2015, 10:30 A.M. followed by burial in the Arnold Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to the First Mennonite Church, Ransom.

Words of sympathy and support may be left for the family by writing in the guest book.

SERVICES
Funeral Service
Friday, September 18, 2015
10:00 AM

Fitzgerald Funeral Home
207 North Pennsylvania Ave
Ness City, Kansas 67560

Ottilia “Tillie” Leiker, 95, Catharine, died Monday, September 14, 2015 at the Ellis Good Samaritan Center.

She was born January 12, 1920 in Catharine the daughter of Charles and Rosa (Koerner) Staab. She was a homemaker and on September 6, 1938 she married Alfred J. “A.J.” Leiker in Antonino, KS. He died April 27, 2001. She was a member of the St. Catherine Catholic Church, and the Altar Society/Christian Mothers. She loved to cook, make noodles, canning, sewing, and crocheting.

Survivors include a daughter, Joyce Crane and husband Robert of Shawnee, KS, a son Alfred Leiker, Jr. of Catharine, a son Derald Leiker and wife Carol of Kansas City, KS, and a daughter Patricia Vandenberg and husband Harold of Ellis, four sisters Josepha Dreiling of Grand Junction, CO, Rose Doerfler of Morris, IL, Geraldine Dreiling of Denver, and Mary Louise Staab of Hays, eleven grandchildren and twenty one great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, four brothers; Rudy, Alfred, Edward, and Charlie Staab, and two sisters; Freda Dinges and Flora Doerfler.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at the St. Catherine Catholic Church, 1681 St. Joseph Street, Catharine, Kansas. Burial will be in the St. Catherine Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00 pm on Friday and from 8:30 am until 9:30 on Saturday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine.

An Altar Society/Christian Mothers rosary will be at 6:30 pm followed by a parish vigil service at 7:00, both on Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the St. Catherine Cemetery Fund, in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Irene F. Dortland, age 94, of Walker, KS passed away Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Society, Hays. She was born April 14, 1921 in Walker, KS to Henry H. and Catherine (Kippes) Robben.

During her early childhood she attended Walker grade school and graduated in 1939 from Walker High School. She met Alvin J. Dortland at a baseball game in Gorham, KS. They were married in October of 1939.

Irene was a homemaker all of her life. She lived all of her life in the Gorham and Walker area. She was a member of St. Fidelis Basilica and the St. Fidelis Daughters of Isabella where she had served as Regent for many years. She was a 4-H leader and a member of the crafters group of Hays Medical Center volunteer workers.

She is survived by a daughter, Kathalie Hoffman and husband Tom of Hays; two grandsons, Tracy Hoffman and wife Stacey of Leawood and Troy Hoffman of Overland Park; two great grandsons, Grant and Gavin Hoffman of Leawood.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin on April 23, 2014; a son, Robert Joseph; a brother, Francis and four sisters, Gertrude, Agnes, Estella and Isabell.

Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Monday, September 14, 2015 at the St. Fidelis Basilica in Victoria. Burial will be in St. Ann Cemetery in Walker, KS.

Visitation will be Sunday 5 PM – 8 PM at Brock’s Funeral Home 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

A combined parish vigil and St. Fidelis D of I rosary service will be at 6 PM Sunday at the funeral chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the St. Ann’s Cemetery Fund and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be sent by guest book to www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to [email protected]

Debra Carolyn Bobbitt Elliott Sidey, 63, of Bunker Hill, Kansas, died on Saturday, August 29, 2015, while working at the Post Office in Bunker Hill.

Debra was born in Stockton, Ks. on May 25, 1952 to Alvy P. Bobbitt, Sr. & Bettie Mae (DeBey) Bobbitt.  She was raised in Stockton, graduated with her class in 1970 at Stockton Rural High School, was married to Ronald D. Elliott December 16, 1970, & lived for 5 years in Brush & Akron, Colorado.  Debbie & Ron were blessed with 2 beautiful boys:  Wesley Prentiss and Clinton Matthew.  The family moved to Stockton & Wes started Kindergarten at Stockton Elementary that year.  Debbie’s boys were the light of her life.  She was always there to do for them as she was for everyone that knew her.  Debbie was very close to her Dad, working alongside of him or taking medical training to be there for him if he would ever need it.  She learned from the best & was a Jack of All Trades from what her Dad, Mom, and Grandma DeBey shared with her as well as all of the friends & family willing to share how they did something.  Her strength was through them and she was always there to do for the ones she loved.  Every year Debbie achieved a new “talent” and took it on with gusto to enable her to share with her family & friends.  From cooking/baking, sewing, beading, knitting, wallpapering, fixing a tire or repairing machinery, working the land, or rocking a baby, Debbie could do it all.  She loved life and loved sharing her life with everyone that knew her.  Besides knitting hats, scarves & gloves for all family & friends she would knit hats for those dealing with cancer & loved being able to bring a smile to those that received what she had carefully made for them.  Music was encapsulated within Debbie’s heart so that it was a strength as well as a comfort thru the years.  Her boys, grandchildren, family & friends were to receive her love of music and will never forget her love she shared with them thru her voice, soft and sweet, always there to sooth.  Debbie & Ron were divorced in 1988.  In 1993 Debbie was married to John Jay Sidey and they settled in their home north of Bunker Hill where she took on the ranch & farming as well as working for the utilities in the area and later the Post Office.  Debbie was at the Post Office in Bunker Hill when she passed away  preparing to be with her family in Stockton once her days work was done there.

Debbie was preceded in death by her father Alvy Prentice Bobbitt, Sr. on August 27th, 2015, her husband’s parents Valentine D. “Red” & Pauline (Westhusin) Sidey, Ron’s parents Richard & Velma Elliott, the grandparents she learned from Tom & Lola DeBey, and  John & Debbie’s son/dog Sam.

Debbie is survived by her mother Bettie Bobbitt of Stockton, husband John Sidey of Rural Bunker Hill, sons:  Wesley Prentiss and wife Jennifer of Merino, Co., and Clinton Matthew of Otis, Co., their father Ron Elliott of Otis, Co., Grandchildren: Trace Wesley, Trevor Scott, & Trenton David of Merino and Kyler Richard & Aubrynn Carolyn of Denver, Brooklyn Jean of Otis, & Micah Dawn of Otis.  Siblings:  Sherylene Sue Gager & husband Jack, Kirwin, Alvy Prentice Jr. & wife Terry, K.C., Ks., Esper Lorraine “Lorrie” Baxter & husband Garry, near Cedar, Christine Lynn Polzin & husband Bill, Hoisington, & Randal Lee & wife Angie, Broken Arrow, Ok., & numerous special nieces, nephews, greats, family & friends, & her spoiled son/dog Bear.  All were the recipients of Debbie’s love and devotion.

A Celebration of Debra’s life will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, September 26, 2015, at the United Methodist Church in Stockton, Kansas.  Cremation has preceded the services.  Visitation will be from 9 A. M. to 8 P.M. on Friday, September 25, 2015, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell with the family present to greet friends from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M.  Memorials may be given to Grandchildren’s Education Fund and sent in care of the mortuary.  Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Debbie worried about her Dad through all of his illness and wanted to be there for him.  Our only comfort at this time is that she is where she thought she needed to be & they are together watching over all of us.

Hays, Kansas – Verlin G. Stramel, age 80, died Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at Hays Medical Center Hays, Kansas.

He was born May 21, 1935, in Salina, Kansas to Stephen M. and Pauline (Wittman) Stramel.  He married Delphine (Urban) on September 25, 1954 at Pfeifer, Kansas.

He worked at S & W Supply for 49 years and retired as a Credit Manager and also was a farmer most of his life.  He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Hays, Kansas and a board member for Holy Cross Charities INC. for over 20 years.   He also served on the board of the Farmers Credit Union in Hays.  He enjoyed driving cars for the auto dealers in Hays, traveling, gardening, the Royals and his grandchildren’s activities.

Survivors include his wife, Delphine Stramel, of the home; three sons, Glenn Stramel and wife, Rhonda, Munjor, KS; Kevin Stramel and wife, Lynette, Hays, KS; Wes Stramel and wife, Marie, Hays, KS; two daughters, Eileen Dreher and husband, Terry, Hays, KS; Cindy Weigel and husband, Bob, Hays, KS; one brother-in-law, LaVern Meier, Wichita, KS; 16 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren and one step great grandson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Wilbert Stramel; one grandson Brian Stramel and one sister-in-law, Geraldine Meier.

Services are 10:00 A.M. Saturday, September 12, 2015, at Holy Cross Catholic Church Pfeifer, Kansas. Burial in Holy Cross Cemetery Pfeifer, Kansas.

A vigil service is at 7:00 P.M. Friday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Visitation is from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Friday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Saturday, at Holy Cross Catholic Church Pfeifer, Kansas.

Memorials can be made to Holy Cross Charities Inc. Condolences can be sent via email to
[email protected].